Exploring Intercultural Competence and Virtual Learning Experiences: A Chinese-Spanish Virtual Exchange Project

作者：Tzu Yiu Chen · 发表于：Journal of Intercultural Communication · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.36923/jicc.v26i3.1510 · 研究领域：EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning、International Student and Expatriate Challenges、Second Language Learning and Teaching

This study, adopting a mixed-methods approach, explores how novice Spanish-speaking CFL learners navigate and perceive their intercultural competence (IC) development during a virtual exchange (VE) with native Chinese speakers, particularly in the context of the growing internationalization of higher education, which has seen a limited amount of research on Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL). Combining quantitative pre- and post-intervention measures with qualitative analysis captures both self-reported developmental trends and underlying learning processes across cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions. While the quantitative data showed an overall upward trend in self-perceived IC, a descriptive analysis at the individual level revealed that this growth was both non-linear and idiosyncratic. Triangulating these findings, the qualitative findings showed that, despite inherent linguistic asymmetries and limitations of the digital platform, participants demonstrated meaningful qualitative growth. Participants actively engaged in critical reflection and experienced significant shifts in cultural awareness, although they mentioned perceived behavioral adaptations less frequently. Furthermore, participants identified multimodal digital platforms as essential facilitators of, but also logistical challenges to, effective intercultural communication. Ultimately, the findings suggest that shifting the pedagogical focus from strict language mastery to authentic intercultural ...